Community Survey Paper Instructions

The paper will emphasize the overall systemic approach to care giving for our men and women who have served our country through the various branches in our military. You will articulate and evaluate your local community’s (city, county) approach to meeting the needs discovered from this survey. A report primarily on how the Veteran Affairs Agency provides services without addressing how faith-based programs or non-VA benefited programs service our veterans will likely result in a very poor grade. This project is a survey of how the local community, as a whole, meets its needs for the military veteran.

This is a survey of professional data, which will take weeks to gather and report on; thus, it will be virtually impossible to complete over a weekend. Do not underestimate this assignment. Please start early in the term as you research your local area and then move out into surrounding communities and county agencies to find out what services are provided for our underserved veterans.

Your survey will consist of:

• What are the needs represented in your community? Based upon your readings what are areas of need that our military experience?
• What Biblical mandates do we have to provide services to our veterans? This may be a short half of a page section in your survey.
• What agencies/organizations meet some of these needs in your community? This will require you to make a few phone calls and maybe even talk with a few military veterans. As you can see, this is the heart of this assignment, so do your homework as a good caregiver for our veterans.
  • What are the VA based services provided?
  • What are some faith based programs to veterans?
  • Are there any non-VA funded programs that work with veterans? An example of this kind of program may be the veteran mentoring program found through the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation program.
• Are there gaps found within your community where needs are not being met? This section addresses unmet needs. It is often an argument from our veterans that they have fallen through the cracks in our system and in our society. Although this paper is directed toward local resources, some of these needs may be met by agencies that you find in other parts of your state or in other cities. When this is the case, mention them, while at the same time pointing out the hardship it may present for veterans that cannot get to these facilities or services. Find the cracks.
• From your investigation, what suggestions would you make for needed programs or services? This is the last section in the body of the paper. In this section, you may use first person if you desire.
• An appendix page listing all resources used. This final section of your assignment will serve as an excellent tool for immediate use if you work in an agency or ministry that works with veterans. You will need to list the exact internet or other location and a brief comment that informs you of it’s content (this section does not count in the page count for this paper).

Overall instructions for this writing assignment are:

• Length of paper: 7–9 pages—Points off if the paper is below 7 pages or exceeds 9 pages (including title page, abstract, and reference page).
• Include at least 10 current references. You may use your texts from class but also the various other sites, readings, etc., that you have access to. Some of your references may be those found in your local and surrounding community.
• Follow current APA style. Review the APA Grading Rubric for guidance regarding grading factors, and, for additional aid, research the Purdue Online Writing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/.
• Paper will be graded on thoroughness, content, and integration of biblical perspective.
• Avoid Plagiarism—Using or passing off someone else’s work as your own is a serious academic offense. Papers are submitted through SafeAssign to check for the proper treatment of sources. You may submit a draft version to the “Research Paper [DRAFT]” SafeAssignment link to first check your score, then edit and revise, and lastly submit it to the “Research Paper” SafeAssignment link.
• Plagiarizing your paper will result minimally in failure of the assignment. Plagiarizing can also result in automatic failure of the course and academic discipline. Make sure that all work is your own or is cited appropriately.

Submit this assignment through SafeAssign by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 5.

 

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Forum 1 Discussion

Choose 1 for your thread:

1. In Module/Week 1’s reading assignment by Bowling and Sherman, the challenges of 4 tasks in reintegration are discussed. Out of these 4, select 1 that you feel may be 1 of the hardest to negotiate and why.
2. Reintegration and 3 different types of commitment are explored in the article written by Currie, Day and Kelloway. After reading the article, discuss the connection between “affective commitment” and support as it relates to reintegration.
3. In the YouTube video clips, a wide range of topics were addressed (i.e., survivor’s guilt, anger issues, and the need for a helpful support system, etc.). From those video clips, how many different issues did you discover that military personnel experience? From this list, what services do you see are some of the most important for care-givers?
4. In the YouTube clip by Dr. Frank Ochberg, “Guidelines for Family and Friends to the Returned Veteran” are discussed. As a care-giver, what guidelines did you hear that you feel that are important to know, communicate with family, friends and the veteran?

Complete a reply to 1 classmate.

Submit your thread by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of Module/Week 1, and your reply by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the same assigned module/week.

Brooks context:

When I was in basic training, we often heard, “Smoke ‘em of ya got ‘em.”  The rest of us had to go inside.  It was like being punished for not smoking.

I’m reminded of an era when military C-rations included cigarettes.

Then, at some point, the government became aware of how much cigarette-related illnesses were costing, and “suddenly” the military turned anti-smoking.

Gone were the ubiquitous butt cans and heavy glass ashtrays.  I was active duty when this happened.  The public message touted the government’s concern for our health, but we all knew the underlying motivation was fiscal in nature.

Whatever the reason, a significant change—and a good change—occurred.

When I joined the military in 1979, I often heard the phrase, “If the Air Force wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one.”

My, how times changed.

In the early 80s, the military began to recognize that an effective (and happy) military person was directly related to the wellbeing of his or her family.  Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?  But actually, the military realized that the effectiveness of the military member was directly affected by the well-being of his or her family.

As you proceed, think about the efficacy of family and friends in the lives of vets, especially in terms of transition and reintegration.

For more information:

U.S. Army MWR History. (n.d.).  Retrieved from

http://www.armymwr.com/commander/history.aspx

Arvey, Sarah R.; Malone, Ruth E. (2008). “Advance and Retreat: Tobacco

Control Policy in the U.S. Military”. Military Medicine. 173: 985–991. doi:10.7205/milmed.173.10.985. http://publications.amsus.org/doi/pdf/10.7205/MILMED.173.10.985

Department of Defense: Report on smoking and health in the military, 1986.

Available at http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ikp35d00.

 

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Forum 3 Discussion

Choose 1 for your thread:

1. In Module/Week 4, you read 3 articles and viewed 4 videos; the content for these discuss a variety of trauma that those in the military might experience, and the resulting effects. In your thread, you are to discuss how each of the major categories of trauma hinders veterans from returning to their previous life (employment, relationships, education, spirituality). Be sure to cite your sources and you MUST include information from each of the assigned articles and videos in order to earn full credit for this Discussion Board Forum.
2. In Module/Week 5, you read 2 articles and watched 1 video; the content for these discuss disabilities, loss, grief, and spirituality. In your thread, you are to discuss at least 2 circumstances resulting from combat which cause the sense of grief and loss. Explain how spirituality and religion affect such issues. Be sure to cite your sources and you MUST include information from each of the assigned articles and videos in order to earn full credit for this Discussion Board Forum.

Complete a reply to 1 classmate.

Submit your thread by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of Module/Week 5, and your reply by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the same assigned module/week.

Brooks Context:

In 1944, my paternal grandparents received a telegram which read, in part:

“The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your son Russell Brooks was killed while in the service of his country.”

Turns out my uncle was killed by a Kamikaze off the coast of the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Dad tells me that a visit preceded the telegram.  When Grandpa met the military officials at the front door, he asked, “Which one,” as he had two sons serving in WWII.

Indeed, many in the military community deal with loss and grief.  As you respond to this thread, feel free to share a personal story to illustrate your points.

 

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Movie Review Instructions

You will view the film War Horse and then complete a three page critique of the movie and how it relates to MILT 525 syllabus outcomes 2a(theology of suffering and reality of tribulation), 2c(Resilience Life Cycle© Before, During, and After considerations), 2f(integration of course material to date), and 2g(through the lens of Scripture). You should refer to the syllabus for full description of the referenced outcomes.

This paper should focus on how you might use ideas gained from the movie to illustrate the Before, During, and After dynamics of a war veteran’s experience, and to better empathize with, and counsel war veterans and their primary caregivers.  As well, you should address the Biblical concepts which War Horse well illustrates, particularly “substitutionary atonement” and the multi-generational impacts of trauma.   Please support your critique with a minimum of five citations in APA format.

This paper will be submitted to SafeAssign and is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 2.

Rubric

General

• Paper adheres to APA formatting (title page, citations, references page, etc.)
• Writing is clear with appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Headings are appropriately labeled.
• Paper is at least three pages in length.

Critique

• Properly illustrates how the movie relates to syllabus outcomes.
• Personal opinion on the content of the movie is written by the student.
• Thought-provoking questions are posed regarding the content of the movie.
• Positives and negatives of the movie are discussed.

Action

• Details are included concerning how this information affects the student’s outlook as a counselor.
• Illustrates the Before, During, and After dynamics of a war veteran’s experience, and to better emphatize with and counsel war veterans and their primary caregivers.
• Biblical concepts are illustrated particularly “substitutionary atonement” and the multi-generational impacts of trauma.

 

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Research Paper Instructions

Utilizing information presented in your texts as well as theoretical and practical elements from academic and Christian sources, compile an original paper of 12–15 pages including title page, abstract, body and references, in APA style. It should summarize your understanding of resilience and spirituality in general, or resilience and spirituality shown in relationship to one or more major phases of the Resilience Life Cycle™. Address factors relevant to success in the phase(s) under consideration, and spiritual and professional approaches to resilience. A minimum of 10 scholarly sources (books and journal articles) is required in addition to your textbooks (if you choose to cite these). Grades will be assigned based on quality of content, how well APA guidelines are adhered to, the richness of citations utilized, quality of expression, and biblical integration presented. Please see the grading rubric for additional information.

• Length of paper: 12–15 pages total—Points off if the paper is below 12 pages or exceeds 15 pages. (Including title page, abstract and references.)
• Include at least 10 current references (within the last 8 years)—points deducted for each missing or out-of-date reference.
• Follow APA 6^th style. Review the APA Grading Rubric for guidance regarding grading factors, and, for additional aid, research the Purdue Online Writing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
• Paper will be graded on thoroughness, content, and use of theoretical material and integration of biblical perspective.
• Avoid Plagiarism—Using or passing off someone else’s work as your own is a serious academic offense. Papers are submitted through SafeAssign to check for the proper treatment of sources. You may submit a draft version to the “Research Paper [DRAFT]” SafeAssignment link to check your score, then edit and revise, and submit it to the “Research Paper” SafeAssignment link.
• Plagiarizing your paper will result minimally in failure of the assignment. Plagiarizing can also result in automatic failure of the course and academic discipline. Please make sure that all work is your own or is cited appropriately.

Submit this assignment through SafeAssign by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday of Module/Week 8.

 

 

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